Researchers From Japan Discovered That The Juice Of This Fruit May Inhibit Lung Cancer In Mice

Afterward, the researchers then proposed that one specific polyphenolic compound, known as isoQ, was a constituting component that had anticarcinogenic– or cancer preventative– potential.

That hypothesis is what ultimately inspired the Okayama research team, led by Dr. Arimoto-Kobayashi, to undertake this study.

In it, they sought to understand the effects of Actinidia arguta juice and the constituting component isoQ on NNK-induced lung tumorigenesis in mice. NNK is a known cancer-causing compound commonly found in tobacco products.

Then, the team worked to identify the underlying mechanisms which produce the anti-tumorigenic effects of the fruit’s juice.

So, the researchers first induced tumor growth in mice via NNK. Afterward, they conducted a series of experiments against control groups to study the unfolding effects of sar-j and isoQ.

And remarkably, the results were quite promising. Among the mice that received NNK injections and subsequent oral doses of A. arguta juice, there was a significantly lower number of tumor nodules in the animals’ lungs as compared to the control group– which only received NNK injections.

Additionally, the oral administration of component isoQ was also found to reduce the number of mouse lung tumor nodules.

On top of these findings, the team discovered the mechanism that underlies this effect. After designing a series of experiments to analyze the effects of sar-j and isoQ on mutagenesis, it was found that sar-j actually mediates antimutagenic effects via the acceleration of DNA repair.

One final key discovery was the fact that sar-j was shown to suppress a critical protein involved in cancer signaling known as Akt.

This finding is monumental since Akt has been known to become over-activated in numerous forms of human cancers– not just lung cancer.

“Sar-j and isoQ reduced NNK-induced lung tumorigenesis. Sar-j targets both the initiation and growth or progression during carcinogenesis, specifically via anti-mutagensis, stimulation of alkyl DNA adduct repair, and suppression of AKt-mediated growth signaling,” explained Katsuyuka Kiura, one of the study’s co-authors.